The anticrusader, the heretic and the faithful
by autumn-leaf16
Summary: MOTB Storm  the KC  explains his decision of not fighting in the crusade. At the same time, Gann asks Amiltha  NPC  why she can be so acceptant about the wall given that she saw her own lover there. Contain spoilers
1. The anticrusader

_**Author's Note**: I haven't actually played Mask of the Betrayer, although I am currently replaying Neverwinter Nights 2, the original campaign. However, due to this amazing site: (Type in LP Neverwinter nights 2 and it should work) as well as the story 'They told me' by anesor (which I highly recommend), I was inspired to write this story._

_Storm is the Knight Captain, our player character (PC) from the game, but there is another NPC as well. This is Amiltha (my creation). She and Storm grew up in West Harbour together and she is a bit like his sister. She is a sorceress and ended up having a relationship with Bishop. She is also a worshiper of Kelemvor. You can say that she is what might have happened with Amie, although I did give Amiltha a past of her own._

_This story really relates to the idea of the wall and what certain people feel about it._

* * *

><p>They stood before the Grey City, a city that all mortals must end up visiting. However, the gate that they would cross was a very different one from the ones that others would usually walk through.<p>

"…so, we are here." Storm said softly. "What was started so long ago has finally come to a full circle."

"Yes, we have." Amiltha said in equal softness. "And what is your decision, Storm?"

Since she arrived in West Harbour almost a decade ago, she had been beside him. The simple kindness from one lonely child to a stranger had ended up forming into a very strong friendship that many siblings would envy.

She took the step out of the village with him and has yet to step onto a different path.

"I will stay with Storm." she had declared out on that day, when a choice was offered. "I will die with Storm."

However, he was now the one who had to make a decision.

"What is wrong?" Kaelyn asked, her eagerness causing the impatient note in her voice to be very obvious. "Why are you two stopping?"

"I never asked any of this to happen." Storm continued and who he was speaking to was rather uncertain. "Everything happened due to that piece of silver shard. Yet I feel that I have to accept it because what happened is the sacrifice of my mother, so to curse what it brings is to be ungrateful to my mother's love. However…I am sick of all that has happened…"

He was not just Storm, the Knight Captain who defeated and King of Shadows and saved Neverwinter. He was also Storm, a young boy who had yet to get a moment's rest since his village was suddenly attacked.

"If I could have a choice…I want to just hide away somewhere. I am so sick of this. Doing this and doing that." Storm continued, although he then took a deep breath and seemed to have calmed down. "However, I will not deny what has happened. I am Akachi's heir, that is true, but I am not Akachi. I did not become his heir by choice. Therefore, I do not need to make his cause my cause. His crusade is not my crusade."

"You will abandon – " Kaelyn began angrily, but was interrupted by Storm, who spoke in a very matter of fact way.

"I am not a hero, Kaelyn, I am not someone who have any noble dreams of saving the world. I am…not you."

He was just a confused youth who had to face whatever was thrown at him in order to survive. There were more then once when his legs trembled at the enemy in front of him. If it wasn't due to death being the consequences that would follow, he would not have been even able to continue standing, let along fight.

"I am here because I need to get my soul back and to finish this, but I am not here to start a crusade. Because the truth is that I am already scared, and if being here meant that I have to fight Kelemvor, I might be really tempted to run as far away as I can."

Kaelyn's eyes were suddenly very hard and Storm was reminded that the kindest person might easily be regarded as cruel to one that they regarded as being their enemy.

"You will shield what brings such suffering on others?" she asked angrily, and he was sure that she barely managed to control herself to not strike at him. Because the truth was that this was more then a crusade, this was her religion. Therefore, he was committing the greatest sacrilege and sin.

"I am not a crusader. This was never my crusade." Storm said simply. "It will not be my crusade."

"…it is the wall, it is weakening you." Kaelyn's voice had changed and even though it was more familiar, it remained different due to that desperation in it.

What had happened did create a bond, it was impossible otherwise. Therefore, she desperately clung onto something that would prevent what happened as being a betrayal.

"…I am sorry, Kaelyn, I really am." Storm said and despite everything, he knew that she knew so too. "However, I am not strong enough. Nor am I brave enough."

"…and would all of you abandon the crusade too?" Kaelyn demanded as she turned to look at each one of his companions.

Storm did not even need to look away from Kaelyn to know that his oldest companion had taken a step beside him once again.

"…I know that what I wish has nothing to do with your decision, but I am still really happy." She whispered to him before she turned to Kaelyn. "Kelemvor is my God. If Storm had agreed with you, then I would have stood in your place."

"I wish to end the curse and I believe that by remaining with Storm instead of joining you, I have a higher chance." Safiya said practically, although that was certainly not the only reason. However, she was unable to say it yet.

"What of you then, Gannayev of Dreams?" Kaelyn pressed on the final member in the party.

"I am no crusader." The other said honestly. "Surely you all know that."

"You are no crusader, but you are directly affected by the wall. You know very well that the wall will one day claim you."

"That is so." Gann said calmly, perhaps a bit too calmly. "However, I have made my choice. I will stay with Storm as I think he has a higher chance of winning. After all, I am not in that great a hurry to begin my stay there and perhaps this might impress the Lord here enough to make my latter stay a bit more comfortable."

"Even now you jest!" Kaelyn yelled out, her control finally snapping.

"Yes, but it doesn't matter if I jest because you will still not be able to understand me even if I explain." he said, and his voice suddenly has an edge to it. "You see a path and define it as the truth. Therefore, you cannot understand why others would not choose to walk on that path."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>This is the first part and it centers on Storm- the KC, who I refer to as the anti crusader. This is because he choose to fight against it. I am actually quite proud of what I did with Storm, because usually, my player character tend to just serve a narration purpose, as I tend to write about NPCs that I created. However, Storm actually has his own character. He is very human. By this, I am not referring to his race, although he probably is a human too. He is a very normal person. He tries to deal with everything the best he can. This is not something he wants and while he does not whine or escape from it as a child would, he admits that he does not want this. As I mentioned before, I was inspired to write this story by 'They told me'. I really recommend people to read it. it is really short, but very well written. _

_Often, when we play a game, we just regard it as a game. And of course, it is a game. However, we often fail to take account of how hard the journey for the PC is when we write their stories. I think it is the worst for the Neverwinter Nights 2 PC, because this is something that is NEVER their choice. I am not sure about the PC in the expansion pack for the first game, but they were the apprentice of a wizard so I presume that they do have some knowledge of what might happen to them. As for the PC in the first Neverwinter Ngihts game (the original campaign) they are there because they choose to adventure. The same can be said of the PCs in both Icewnd dale games. However, the PC in Neverwinter Nights 2 literally starts in a really peaceful village. Baldur's Gate is similar as the PC was ignorant of their heritage and grew up fairly sheltered. Perhaps that is the most similar case to this PC._

_Unfortunately I didn't get to explore what Storm feels about the wall. I think he would probably be a worshiper of Chauntea, who seem to be what the rest of West Harbour worship. However, his reason for not fighting Kelmvor is very human- he does not think that he can manage it. He is not the Bhaalspawn PC of Baldur's Gate who would risk fighting the gods due to their essence. He is a normal man. He does not wish to fight Kelemvor, perhaps he is afraid, and can we really blame him?_

_And I must confess something, I personally have a liking for Kelemvor (ever since I read the avatar trilogy) and I do feel that he is actually not that bad a person. The truth is that he is really making the best of a bad situation. Because the truth is that by becoming a god, he could no longer be a man and so must think in the way that a god do. I know that this sound quite strange, but it really is the same principal as a nice man not always being a good ruler. One of the clips on youtube actually has him talking about the mistakes he had made in the past._

_As for what happened with Kaelyn, she actually does say a very similar thing of how your soul being tied to the wall has weaken you, and I think she really do believe this. Especially if you were her friends, because there is no other reason that you would be doing something that is really wrong and even, in her opinion, bad and cruel. Therefore, I think she will believe that it isn't your fault, but what happened. A bit like the king of shadows in Neverwinter Nights 2._

_As for Safiya, I don't think she really care about the wall, at least not in the sense of it being unjust. In addition, I think she is actually quite loyal to the PC. In this oneshot, this is also a slight hint of how she likes the PC._

_Gann, however, is really hard to write. I think this is also because his character is just really hard to write. I think he is one of the best examples of a chaotic neutral character. He is really hard to predict. Gann does not have a deity and it is quite obvious that he will end up being in the wall of faithless when he died (although I feel that this might change if he ends up with the PC). I feel that for someone in his situation, if he had a chance to destroy the wall, then he might do so. It is true that he did say that he would help the PC to tear down the wall and in so doing save himself at Act 3, yet I feel that he does not seem to mind that much if the PC decided to not fight the crusade. It almost seems that he does not actually care that much and I am actually not very why. In the end, I think I feel that he is actually oddly acceptant of this fate and does not wish to fight it in such an active way._


	2. The heretic

Soon, they would face the wall, and they were already one companion short. However, it was not something that they had anticipated, as she left by her own choice.

Of course, Gann didn't have any fanciful illusion of them all swearing eternal comradeship. After all, this was not some play, although it might be fun to act in one someday. However, after a certain stage, there was an unspoken knowledge that they would all stay with Storm and help him to end the curse.

Not anymore though…

"I can deal with this." Storm was saying to Amiltha, who was sitting right beside him. "At least it didn't happen in the middle of a battle and…"

"It's alright, Storm." She interrupted him gently. "You can say whatever you want and I won't hold it against you."

"Why don't you join him, there is a spare spot on his other side?" Gann suggested to Safiya, who was watching. In a way, it was almost amusing to see her starting to become someone rather different when their leader was involved.

Perhaps it was these light amusements that hold them all together.

"I would like to help him." She admitted. "However, I do not think that I would be able do so. I do not know how."

"Then perhaps I can help you." smirking slightly, he gave her a little push toward the direction of the other two. "Although I am perhaps helping myself too."

He was right, because Amiltha decided to leave Storm with Safiya. She either understood because it did not involve her, or she merely pretended to not understand the issue that involved her.

"…and how are you faring?" Gann asked and his tone was actually not full of his usual flippancy. Perhaps it was because unlike Safiya, he knew what ought to be said. "Despite everything, you did like Kaelyn too."

"Yes, to a certain extent, although there are times when I dislike her too. However…" at this, her voice was a bit sad, "I did not wish for it to end like this."

"Well, then maybe I can comfort – " the glint in his eyes was back again and he spread open his arms.

"No." she said simply. "Besides…it is nothing that I can't handle."

"Yes…" his voice was serious again, and she could not help but to wish that it would not be so. That he would continue those light hearted words that would not hurt. "Because you faced worse."

"…you had no right to enter my dreams." She hissed.

"Yet I did, and you might as well accept that fact." He said. "But that is why I am confused. Your position is not unlike Akachi's, yet you will choose to side against Storm if he choose to participate in the crusade."

"Why should I answer you, Gann?" she snapped.

"You do not have to," he admitted. "But I would like to know the answer."

"Kelemvor is my God." She said simply.

"Just as Myrkul was Akachi's god. I can understand if you do not wish to launch an open crusade as our celestial companion would, but I can not understand why you will not do something when you have the chance. To see what you have seen…I would have thought that this might have made you faith waver, or at the very least you would not choose to defend it so. You would even fight against one who is like a brother to you."

"You think I will resent my faith after I have seen what happened? If I do that then I am no better then a child who hit others and gets angry if I am the one who is hit." At this, a sudden look of disgust appeared on her face. "That would make me just like that foolish and arrogant woman. I have worshipped Kelemvor for a very long time, and I know about the wall. Therefore, I cannot suddenly turn against my faith just because it is now a situation that I do not like. Besides…you have seen what he is like, as well as having heard him. The punishment was cruel, but not unjust."

"…I do not think I can understand you." Gann said. "But maybe that is why you interest me."

However, this was clearly the wrong thing to say.

"Yes and you will fly away once you are bored. I know that man like you will inevitably get bored once you get what you wanted." She sneered. "At least he was honest about this."

"…do not insult me by comparing me with that ranger, Amiltha." His voice was low, but the anger was evident.

"Yes…perhaps that was uncalled for." She admitted. "You are a much better person then he ever was. However…there are parts of you that are similar to him. You hate to be shackled too. You might not kill for it as he sought to, but you will escape from it by walking away. Therefore…find someone else to amuse you, because I can not."

The words seemed harsh, but they were actually spoken in a very gentle way. She was sincere, but her words were very ironic because she was the one who walked away.

* * *

><p>Amiltha did not want to sleep because she knew what she would see in her dreams. Even worse was the fact that they would not be dreams, but realities.<p>

"You accept what happens, yet you dislike it." Gann commented as he sat beside her. "Perhaps that is why you are hard to understand, although I am starting to understand more now."

This was because he was growing up, and unlike a child, an adult has to realise that life was not always full of either of choices.

"I accept that this is what must be, but it doesn't mean that I would enjoy seeing it." she whispered and he suspected that she was actually crying due to the way that her body was shaking. "I don't. He was a bad man who deserved punishment but I do not think it warrant that. Yet because he was a faithless soul, this must happen. It is hard because I…because I still love him despite all that he did. I want him to find peace and I know that he would find peace when the wall gives him a second death, but having to see him suffer is too painful."

He placed an arm around her and she did not shake it off, because she understood that he was merely comforting her as a companion would. She smiled slightly and when she raised her head to face him, he saw that she was indeed crying. Very gently, he wiped her eyes for her.

"…allow me to enter your dreams with you." he said. "You should not have to face it alone."

"I think I know how you managed to charm all these women now." She said with a slight smile. "But as for your offer…this is the one time I will forgive you for entering a locked door."

"But this will be the one time when the door is opened."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note: <strong>The heretic is Gann. I don't think he is an 'atheist' because he has seen the gods, so he knows that they exist. But he just simply refuses to believe them. Yet he does believe in things such as the spirits. Therefore, I feel that it is more suitable to describe him as a heretic, as he is one who chooses to have an alternate belief then the norm. Unlike the last chapter, this chapter and the next sort of have Amiltha and Gann's point of view together, although I tried to make this chapter more about Gann._

_Yes, Gann likes Amiltha, but how much he likes her is not fully clear. Likewise, there is implication of how Safiya likes Storm (KC). Whether it is friendship or love is debatable, but they are companions who have been through a lot so it is natural that he would care for the others too. At least by this stage, near the end of the game._

_The woman Amiltha refers to is not Kaelyn. She actually likes Kaelyn. She is referring to someone she dislike, I will leave it up to you to guess, although I do not think that it is very hard._

_I didn't realise this until I was typing my story, but there is a parallel to Akachi. However, this was not intentional. Amiltha was just an NPC that I wanted to pair up with Bishop and write some extracts on. However, this then happened. Like Akachi, Amiltha loved someone who has no deity, and so would end up being at the wall of faithless. Yet they themselves both worship the god that was responsible for the wall. Akachi would rebel against his god, but Amiltha actually accepts it. For me, Amiltha's acceptance is a very interesting factor. One of the inspiration of the story. It is true that she might be acceptant because there is nothing she could do about it. After all, she is just a normal mortal. However, it is surprising that she is so acceptant. Not only does she not blame Kelemvor for any of this, she even state that she would fight Storm if he wishes to tear down the wall, despite this being a possible chance to help Bishop. It is almost as if she is saying that this is justified, that Bishop should be there at the wall, suffering._

_And perhaps in a way she is saying so. First of all, Amiltha is a worshiper of Kelemvor so she knows about the teaching. Not to mention that like any person in Faerun, she knows that if you don't have a god/deity, then you would end up being at the wall. I think for her, she regarded it as a law and it would be hypocritical of her to complain about it just because someone she loves is involved. Of course, she does not want Bishop to be there, but she accepts it, as that is caused by him no having a god. It is like saying that you agree to a law for people who steal being punished and you accept people who steal being punished. But one day your own kin is caught stealing and then you suddenly feel that the punishment for stealing is too harsh. However, this is just how Amiltha would have seen it. This is her view and I am not saying that any other in the game have this view._

_Now that I think about it, Gann does have remarkably similarity with Bishop. For a start, both of them have a dislike toward honour, responsibility and obligation (but I guess that ended up being a major difference, because Gann will actually change due to what happened to his mother. I think he really grew up and realised that there are responsibilities that he has to accept. And I think that is why he is able to always stay with the PC, unlike what would happen with Bishop. I think even if Bishop ends up with the PC, there would still be times when he would just suddenly have to get away from it all. He would come back, but there would be times when he just must leave. I think Gann would not do that because he is not afraid of responsibility as Bishop was._


	3. The faithful

The dream started in the same setting, but this time, she knew that she would not be alone. Therefore, she sought to seek that person.

A hand suddenly enclosed over her's, and she would have shrieked if she did not recognise it.

"Did I not say that I would be there?" Gann said with a smile. "Therefore, let us walk together. Even in this place."

The wall was in front of them and it hurt him to see her walking straight to that spot, because it indicated that this was something that she has seen very often.

"I do not understand myself." She said softly. "I hate this sight, yet I wish to see it, because I want to see him again. But he is not able to see me. Because this is still a dream, isn't it? I can see what happened, but that is all that I am allowed to have."

However, there was something very different. Not only was Gann here in her dreams, there was someone else too.

A tall robbed figure stood in front of the wall, his back facing them. However, neither of them needed any more then this. They could simply feel who he was.

Amiltha become completely still and when her lips moved, only one word came out.

"Lord."

She ran to him and knelt in front of him.

"Are you judging me, my lord?" she whispered. "Is that why you would show yourself to me?"

"You have done nothing wrong." Kelemvor assured her. "You have remained faithful. Even though you are not happy with his death and the punishment, you are acceptant of this."

"But why show me this then?" she asked. "Why…torment me with this?"

"This is not my doing. You are here because you wish to see the one enclosed against this wall. Because of where you are, your dream shows you the reality instead. However, I know that you never once doubt of this being the truth."

"I know that he would end up being here." She said in a very matter of fact way. The truth was that she was more likely to become a faithless should he not be there, because that would be a defiance to all that she had believed in.

"Yet you pray for the ability to be able to speak to him again." Her god said. "I will grant it, as you have been faithful."

Then he was gone and his departure, the dream was gone too. She knew that he had sent her to be in front of the wall. She could hear the cries and screaming of the wall because there was no dream to silence them.

"…Amiltha."

It was his voice, but his voice was now very hoarse, barely a whisper. Yet at the same time, that arrogance and bitterness was still there.

"Bishop." She said softly.

"I am here as you said that I would be." This was sneered out. "So why aren't you laughing?"

Gann understood what the soul was referring to as he has seen that memory in Amiltha's dream. What he has seen had been enough to give him an understanding of the man's character, which led to his dislike.

The worst part was that this was when the other actually cared for Amiltha. If that was his affection, Gann really had little desire of seeing what Bishop was like before that.

"I wanted to have something to laugh at you when you had backed me against the wall with your blade against my throat, not when you are at this state. However, I wish that I can laugh at you Bishop, as you would prefer me laughing at you, instead of what I am doing now."

He hated pity, especially if he was the one receiving it.

"Where is your dashing Knight Captain, Amiltha? Have you replaced him with this hagspawn? I suppose I ought to congratulate your taste- at least it is not the paladin." The other sneered, his eyes moving onto Gann.

"Why do you always see something that isn't there?" she whispered. "Even at the very end…"

As if Storm's crime of being Duncan's nephew was not though, he had hinted that she had a part in making it worse.

"You made his cause your cause, you choose to die for him." he said angrily. "Yet I offered you a choice…"

"I love Storm as a brother, so I could not abandon him. Perhaps that is a type of chain too, although it is a chain that I am willing to have. However, I don't think you can understand that…it is too late."

The wall began to shake and they all knew that the end would soon come.

"…yes, it is coming. My death." Bishop said and he actually did not sound unhappy about it. "I will be able to be free from all this soon. As I ought to have been."

"Yes, you will be." Amiltha said calmly. "But I want to ask you one question: I think that is why I wish to see you again. Bishop…tell me why you saved me."

"Are you sure that I saved you?" Bishop snickered. "Just because I died beside you, it doesn't mean that I saved you."

"When I used the word, I do not use it as how most of people would use it. I do not mean that you shielded my body or pushed me out of the way as someone like Storm or Casavir would have done. No, I merely mean that you did something to help me, although I don't know what you did. I don't care what you did because I know that you did do something. However, I wish to know why you did it."

"Because I did not want to see you die." The ranger said simply. "That is all."

"And now I will see you die and I can never forget the sight." She said. "Perhaps you win again."

When he betrayed them, he had told her that he could have cared for her in his own way. To know that was worse then believing that he did not and would not care for her at all, because that indicated that he had deliberately made the choice of not caring for her.

"…you selfish bastard." She muttered. "You hate being chained, yet you would chain me to you forever."

No matter what, she could never forget him due to all that had happened. Even though she might very well move on with her life and end up loving someone else, she would always remember him.

"…that is who I am." Bishop said simply. "Told you that I will always win."

Amiltha did not move even though she knew what horrifying scenes would soon unfold. Instead, she fixed her gaze upon Bishop and did not turn away until he was finally gone.

"If there are chains, then it is chains that you choose to have as well." Gann commented.

"You are right." She admitted. "I wish to hold onto my memories and because of this, I will let myself be chained."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong> The faithful is naturally Amiltha, since she remained devout to Kelemvor, and would have risked fighting Storm._

_I know that in the game, Bishop comments about Casavir as there is the famous Bishop-KC-Casavir triangle that most of us would know. However, Amiltha would never have that type of relationship with Casavir. She does not really dislike him, although she probably does find his view a bit irritating. However, that is all. She and Storm would be very close though, so I can see Bishop being jealous of Storm more. Not to mention that she did choose to stay with Storm instead of going away with him. He did ask her to come with him although the hard bit is working out 'how' he would have asked her. It might not have been a genuine offer, but Bishop simply saying: "What if I ask you this?" I don't know, because I haven't wrote about it._

_As for what he did, I feel that it is better if I leave it vague for the reader to interpret._


End file.
